Woman recovers stolen iPod on eBay

Police are crediting Karen Todd, a mother of two and U.S. Census Bureau computer programs designer, with taking down a burglary suspect they believe is responsible for at least 13 thefts -- simply by checking the eBay online auction site for items stolen from her Bowie home. The break-in was discovered by her husband, Dan, when he returned to their Bowie, Maryland home find the sliding door to their kitchen smashed. Missing were a specially engraved iPod that Karen Todd had given her husband for Christmas, and her Apple iBook laptop computer. "I was mostly upset about the iPod because it had been a gift," she said. "I was like, 'That's mine! That's mine!' I was just floored." Todd recognized her husband's iPod by its custom inscription.

Apple Store offers new Incase Pouches for Shuffle

The Apple Store now lists two new iPod shuffle cases from Incase, a maker of carrying bags and cases for everything from iPods to guitars. The Incase Pouch for iPod shuffle is a soft neoprene case with five different colors (Green, Black, Red, Blue, and Pink). The cases cost $20 and provide play-through protection. "Perfect for an active lifestyle." The Incase Multipurpose Pouch, also $20, is a soft neoprene case with three wearing options. It features a belt loop, lanyard, and carabiner. Both "Pouch" models feature "play-through" access to controls, meaning a silhouette of the Shuffle's controls is printed on the neoprene enclosure to guide users to the buttons.

MTV: "blinged-out" designer iPod carrying cases

MTV looks at accessorizing the iPod, which some iPod fans and accessory makers are taking to the extreme. Last week Noreve, a French company that sells high-end leather cases for portable gadgets, added a $1,783 limited-edition "Love" iPod pouch to its catalog. The soft pink case is adorned with a white-gold heart encrusted with 44 diamonds. "Equally impractical is Fendi's Juke Box, a $1,500 carrying case devised by German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, one of the brains behind Fendi and Chanel." Accessorizing iPods has become "almost as important as the player itself," and the market is being bombarded with new products by Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, Burberry and Coach, all of which offer designer iPod cases. Coach's $98 python-skinned case sold out before it even hit stores in September 2004. A second batch of cases arrived in April and also sold out immediately.

Apple broadens iPod supply base with new manufacturer

While Taiwanese manufacturer Inventec continues to produce the bulk of Apple's hard drive-based iPods, a second company has joined the fray. Confirmation came this week via chipmaker PortalPlayer's quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the document, the company notes that it is now shipping chips to a second, unnamed manufacturer that is building products for Apple. Last September, Apple inked a deal with Asustek to serve as a second supplier for the iPod mini. Asustek is already making the iPod shuffle.

Independent NeoMusicStore offers "podcasts"

NeoMusicStore, an online music (physical and digital) service and marketplace for independent labels, is the first digital downloads store to offer podcasts. This new way of publishing sound files to the Internet is already used for promotional downloads for labels already selling on the service. Podcasts are used by artists and DJs Laurent Garnier, Josh Wink, Darren Emerson/Underworld, David Duriez, Tiga, Eric Borgo, Oxia, and more. The podcasts are now now available to all customers on Neo Music Store. NeoMusicStore either choose a credit (and get more music for the same price, without any date limit) or buy individual songs (through Mastercard, Visa, Paypal and Bitpass). Labels selling their music on Neo Music Store can choose prices (and earnings), and encodings (MP3, AAC, OGG, WMA, FLAC).

Tatuz unveils six new iTatu Shuffle designs

Tatuz (formerly shuffletatu.com) today announced the release of six new iTatu designs for the iPod shuffle digital music player. iTuat allows iPod shuffle owners to customize the look of their iPod with colorful and protective coverings. These six new designs include four new national flags for Russia, Austria, Australia and Korea, and two new stripe designs, red and purple. "Our iTatu products have been extremely well received by customers, and we are very excited about the release of these new iTatu designs. Look for more great designs from Tatuz International over the coming weeks and months!" All six of the new iTatu designs are available immediately, and will be shipping this week. The Korean flag is available exclusively through GoPod at, and will be available through additional resellers in August.

New handmade iPod cases offer unique styling

iPodStyles today launched a new line of handmade iPod cases called fabriX. fabriX cases are designed specially for the iPod using "the finest of high grade fabrics" with inner quilt padding. In addition to fashionable outer styling, the fabriX cases are designed to fit the iPod snugly, protecting it from scratches and minor bumps. These cases will not stretch and can be washed if they get dirty. The fabriX cases are currently available in 16 different styles. Upon order confirmation, the cases will be shipped in one week as they are individually handmade.

iPod pushing traditional radio out of pop culture

The iPod has changed how the public views traditional radio, according to the Washington Post. "A huge generation gap is developing. The iPod, Apple's digital music player, is more like the transistor radio than any other gadget in media history, in that it is making a powerful entrance into the American home mainly through the teen market." This has led Infinity Broadcasting, one of the largest U.S. radio companies, to convert an AM station in San Francisco to KYOU. Starting tomorrow the station will adopt a format they call "all podcast" in which anyone who cobbles together a radio show can upload it to the station, which will pick its favorite submissions and throw them on the air.

Wired News interviews podcast pioneer Adam Curry

Wired News has published an interview with former MTV veejay Adam Curry, now known for his work as a pioneer of podcasting. Curry helped create 'ipodder,' a tool that automates the process of downloading and listening to audio files. His Daily Source Code podcast has become an online hit, and he's developing a new software tool for podcasters -- a virtual studio for editing and producing. "It was back in July 2004. I just took bits and pieces of technology that already existed -- RSS, MP3s, iPods and other portable players -- and tried to bring them together to accomplish a simple task [...] I liked the fact that people were starting to blog audio files, but I didn't want to go have to look for them. I wanted that magical experience [...] for my computer to just go out and do all the work for me." In a recent report, the Washington Post looks at how the iPod has changed the public's view of traditional radio.